Interplay between perceived cross-linguistic similarity and L2 production

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Georgiou
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Production Test ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Egyptian Arabic ◽  
Speech Learning Model ◽  
L2 Production ◽  
Partial Overlap ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Speech Learning

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the relationship between perceived cross-linguistic similarity and second language (L2) production. To this purpose, Egyptian Arabic learners of Greek in Cyprus who took part in a previous cross-linguistic perceptual study, completed a production test with respect to the Cypriot Greek vowels. The findings showed that perceived cross-linguistic similarity was linked with L2 production since along with the consideration of first language (L1)-L2 acoustic differences, it predicted most of the L2 vowel productions. Also, many L2 vowels were considerably longer than the corresponding L1 vowels. This can be interpreted as an L1 transfer since Egyptian Arabic vowels are longer in duration than the Cypriot Greek vowels. An interesting finding was that the production of the L2 vowels had only partial overlap with the productions of the L1 vowels, a finding that provides support for the hypotheses of the Speech Learning Model.

Cross-linguistic similarity in L2 speech learning: Evidence from the acquisition of Russian stop contrasts by Mandarin speakers

2020 ◽  
pp. 026765831990091
Author(s):  
Yuxiao Yang ◽  
Xiaoxiang Chen ◽  
Qi Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Perceptual Discrimination ◽  
Perceived Similarity ◽  
Specific Research ◽  
Speech Learning Model ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Speech Learning

This study investigated the role of cross-linguistic similarity in the acquisition of Russian initial stop contrasts by Chinese learners, addressing two specific research questions: (1) How similar are Russian voiced stops to Mandarin stops for Chinese learners? (2) How can the speech learning model (SLM) be applied to account for the acquisition of Russian initial stop contrasts by Chinese learners? Regarding the first question, a hypothesis was proposed that Russian voiced stops could be regarded as dissimilar ‘new’ sounds by Chinese learners, as judged by three commonly adopted methods: IPA comparison, acoustic difference, and feature redeployment. The results of the perceptual assimilation task, however, disconfirmed this hypothesis, as Russian voiced stops were perceived as being highly similar to the sounds of Mandarin voiceless unaspirated stops. According to SLM, perceptually similar second language (L2) sounds are difficult to acquire; hence, a corresponding hypothesis was advanced in relation to the second question; namely, that the acquisition of Russian initial stop contrasts could be challenging for Chinese learners. This hypothesis was supported by the results of the perceptual discrimination and the production tests. These findings corroborated SLM regarding the difficulty in acquiring L2 sounds that are perceptually similar to their first language (L1) counterparts, while posing challenges to the hypothesis that Russian voiced stops could be dissimilar ‘new’ sounds for Chinese learners, as predicted by the three methods. The results indicated that perceived cross-linguistic similarity plays a key role in L2 phonetic acquisition. However, the degree of perceived similarity cannot always be accurately deduced solely through the three methods, at least not in the case of stops.

scholarly journals First language suprasegmentally-conditioned syllable length distinctions influence perception and production of second language vowel contrasts

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidija Krebs-Lazendic ◽  
Catherine T. Best
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Perceptual Distance ◽  
Speech Learning Model ◽  
Syllable Duration ◽  
Speech Segments ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Speech Learning ◽  
Assimilation Model ◽  
Unusual Type

AbstractAdult second language (L2) learners often have difficulty perceiving and producing L2 speech segments with native-like accuracy. The Speech Learning Model (SLM; Flege 1995) attributes this to perceptual distance between native (L1) and L2 segments, the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM; Best 1995; Best and Tyler 2007) to L1 assimilation of L2 segmental contrasts. In a novel extension of these models, we examined whether experience with an L1 suprasegmental duration contrast can affect performance on L2 segmental vowel distinctions that are non-contrastive in the L1. Serbian employs an unusual type of relevant suprasegmental duration distinction, specifically morphological alternations in pitch-accented syllable duration. We assessed L1-Serbian participants' perception and production of L2-English /i-ɪ/ versus /æ-ɛ/, which involve both spectral and temporal distinctions but differ in magnitude of their temporal difference. The results indicate that experience with L1 syllable durations conditioned by pitch-accent systematically influences perception and production of L2 vowel contrasts.

scholarly journals SPOKEN AND WRITTEN REPRESENTATION OF NUMBER IN L2 CATALAN INDEFINITE DETERMINER PHRASES

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-350
Author(s):  
Liliana Tolchinski ◽  
Naymé Salas ◽  
Joan Perera
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
First Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Similar Time ◽  
Language Background ◽  
Indefinite Article ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
The Relationship

The study explores the relationship that second language (L2) learners of Catalan establish between the spoken and the written representation of number inflection within an indefinite-article Determiner Phrase (DP); and it also addresses first language (L1) influence in this processo Five- to eight-year-olds, speakers of varieties of Chinese and Moroccan Arabic, with differing degrees of literacy instruction in their home countries —but similar time of residence in Catalonia— participated in the study. The children carried out individual semi-structured tasks designed to evaluate comprehension and production of changes in number inflections (un cotxe ‘a car’; uns cotxes ‘a-pl cars ’). Results showed that, irrespective of children’s language background, comprehension preceded production of singular and plural indefinite-article DPs; spoken representation was easier than written representation of number changes; and production of plural indefinite-article DPs was more difficult than its singular counterpart. Despite typological differences between the languages compared, both groups of L2 learners, even the Catalan control group, underwent similar processes.

Second language data and constraints on Manner: explaining substitutions for the English interdentals

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lombardi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
First Language ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Language Data

Substitutions for English interdentals tend to be consistent based on first language (L1): eg. [t] for speakers of Russian, [s] for speakers of Japanese. While the facts suggest that some type of L1 transfer must be involved, a rule affecting a sound that does not occur in L1 is unlearnable. Optimality Theory (OT) allows a solution to this conundrum because the grammars contain independently necessary constraint rankings that also have an effect on the interdentals. [t] substitution results from high ranked markedness. This can be seen as an effect of universals because this grammar retains the original ranking that the L1 learners begins with. [s] substitution results from high ranked Faithfulness. In this case, some L1 phonology has forced reranking, making this an effect of L1 transfer.

L1 transfer, proficiency, and the recognition of L2 verb-noun collocations: A perspective from three languages

2019 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Senyung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
First Language ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
English Only ◽  
Mixed Effects Modeling ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This study investigated the effect of first language (L1) transfer in the recognition of second language (L2) collocations and unacceptable word combinations across low-intermediate to advanced learners of English, and the relationship between proficiency and the recognition of L2 collocations. The study targeted learners from two different L1 backgrounds and native speakers of English in order to disentangle the effect of L1 transfer from the effect of intralingual factors. Four types of English verb-noun combinations were included: English-Korean-Mandarin, English-only, Korean-only, and Mandarin-only phrases. A phrase acceptability judgment task and a phrase recognition report were used. The performances of 92 participants were analyzed using mixed effects modeling. The results from both Korean and Mandarin groups revealed no L1 influence in the recognition of unacceptable L2 word combinations, even at low levels of proficiency. The results also showed that L2 proficiency predicts learners’ ability to rule out grammatical-but-unacceptable L2 word combinations, but not the ability to recognize L2 collocations

Constraining second language word order optionality: scrambling in advanced English-German and Japanese-German interlanguage

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Hopp
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
First Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Remnant Movement ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Japanese Learners

This study documents knowledge of UG-mediated aspects of optionality in word order in the second language (L2) German of advanced English and Japanese speakers ( n = 39). A bimodal grammaticality judgement task, which controlled for context and intonation, was administered to probe judgements on a set of scrambling, topicalization and remnant movement constructions. Given first language (L1) differences and Poverty of the Stimulus, English and Japanese learners face distinct learnability challenges. Assuming Minimalist grammatical architecture (Chomsky, 1995), convergence on the target language would entail the unimpaired availability of Universal Grammar (UG), i.e., computational principles and functional features beyond their L1 instantiation. Irrespective of L1, the L2 groups are found to establish systematic native-like relative distinctions. In addition, L1 transfer effects are attested for judgements on scrambling. It is argued that these findings imply that interlanguage grammars are fully UG constrained, whilst initially informed by L1 properties.

scholarly journals Pragmatic competence in English at the VG1 level: To what extent are Norwegian EFL students able to adapt to contextual demands when making requests in English?

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silje Brubæk
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Subject

The present article presents an investigation of Norwegian students of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their pragmatic competence in English. The importance of developing such a competence receives a strong focus in the English subject curriculum. However, very few studies have been conducted in the field of pragmatics in Norway, and even fewer Norwegian studies have focused on students’ pragmatic competence in a second language. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate whether Norwegian EFL students would be familiar with and show awareness of English politeness norms and pragmatic conventions when having to communicate in English. Would they be able to adapt their language, choice of strategy and level of formality to the contextual demands when making requests in the second language (L2)? Forty students answered a simplified version of a discourse completion test (DCT) consisting of four different situations in which the students had to make requests. The results, which were analysed by means of Brown and Levinson’s theory of face threatening acts, indicated that most of the students were at one of the beginning stages of English pragmatic development. Their language use was characterized by first language (L1) transfer and overuse of familiar and informal expressions. When faced with more formal and demanding situations, they fell short and clearly lacked the knowledge and competence that would allow them to communicate successfully. It can be argued that these findings might indicate a lack of focus in Norwegian schools when it comes to developing students’ pragmatic competence. If this is true, an important part of the subject curriculum is being neglected.

An Acoustic Experimental Study on Sound Acquisition in Standard Chinese by Native Speakers of Uyghur

2012 ◽  
Vol 490-495 ◽  
pp. 2027-2031
Author(s):  
Hua Ying Chen ◽  
Yi Yang
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
First Language ◽  
Speech Acquisition ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
Speech Learning Model ◽  
Standard Chinese ◽  
Speech Learning ◽  
Assimilation Model

The present acoustic experiment studies the acquisition of Standard Chinese vowels by native speakers of Uyghur. The results indicate that in identifying the 7 vowels of Standard Chinese produced by the native Han Chinese speakers, Uyghur subjects with high Chinese proficiency perform better both in accuracy and reaction time than Uyghur subjects with low Chinese proficiency, and all the Uyghur subjects are not good in perceiving vowels //, /i/ and //. The results of the experiment support the Speech Learning Model and the Perceptual Assimilation Model. In addition, it shows that the second language speech acquisition is restricted by the first language phonological system.

Connections between First- and Second-Language Reading

1995 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith E. Brisbois
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Reading Scores ◽  
Air Force Academy ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
L2 Vocabulary ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
L2 Reading Comprehension

This study builds upon previous research examining the relationship between first-language (L1) reading, second-language (L2) knowledge, and L2 reading. The unique contributions of L1 reading, L2 vocabulary, and L2 grammatical skill to L2 reading scores are investigated along with whether or not the contributions differ by course level. Subjects included 131 students (88 beginners and 43 upper level) enrolled in French at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Data were analyzed using multiple regression. Two programs were run for each subject group because L1 reading was measured using two different tests—recall protocols and the comprehension portion of the Nelson Denny Test. All of the independent variables contributed significantly for beginners, but did so for the upper level subjects only when L1 protocols were used as the reading measure. Typically, L1 reading contributed substantially, particularly for the upper level group, supporting Cummins's (1981) Hypothesis. This study demonstrates the importance of L1 reading and L2 knowledge to L2 reading comprehension.

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